Research Paper

Implementation of Olympic Style Weightlifting to Improve Athlete Performance

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Introduction

Numerous scientific studies have proven the various benefits of Olympic

Weightlifting (OWL) as it relates to athletic development and improved athletic

performance in several different aspects and measures of physical fitness.

Weightlifting has been around for many centuries. In Egyptian and Grecian

antiquity, various forms of weightlifting were utilized as a means to measure physical

power (speed strength) (Olympic, 2014). Weightlifting was recognized as an international

sport in the 19th century. The sport formally made a debut during the Olympics on April

7, 1896 in Athens. From there, the sport of weightlifting spread in popularity and during

an International Weightlifting Federation executive board meeting in Ostrava, Czech

Republic, on September 4, 1987, it was decided that the participation of women was to be

incorporated (IWF, 2014). Although, women did not compete in the Olympic Games

until the year 2000 when the Games were hosted in Sydney, Australia (Olympic, 2014).

Another notable year in the history of weightlifting is the year 2009 when the first World

Youth Championships was hosted in Chang Mai (IWF, 2014). The youth age division is

for athletes 17 years of age and younger. This is important to note since in there is a

common misconception that weightlifting or strength training is not appropriate for

children of a young age.

Definitions

Although the lifts have changed over the decades, the two main lifts recognized in

the Olympics today are the snatch, and the clean and jerk.


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The Snatch

Referring to the International Weightlifting Federation (2014) website, the snatch

is the first lift performed between the two. The movement starts with the loaded barbell

on the floor and is performed as one single movement finishing in a squat with arms fully

extended overhead. The lifter must then complete the lift by standing up from the squat,

with feet parallel and with arms still extended overhead. The athlete must keep this

motionless position until the judges ring the bell, as a signal lower the barbell

(International Weightlifting Federation, 2014).

(Hookgrip, 2011-2014)

The Clean and Jerk

The second of the two lifts performed is a two-part lift known as the clean and

jerk. The first part of this lift is the clean. This part is the single movement of the loaded

barbell starting from the floor and finishing on the front of the shoulders in a squat – also

known as a front squat. From this position, the lifter must stand up and prepare for the

second part of the lift. During this time, the lifter is able to adjust the bar to a comfortable

position for them to complete a jerk. Athletes often adjust their hands to unhook their


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fingers from the bar, adjust the width of their grip on the barbell, or adjust the positioning

of the barbell on their shoulders. The second part of the lift is known as the jerk, which

starts from the end position of the clean (the front rack position) and is completed in a

single movement with the barbell overhead with arms fully extended. There are two

acceptable positioning for the legs during this portion of the lift. The most commonly

used is the split-jerk in which the legs are in a position similar to a lunge. The other

method that is utilized less often is a squat jerk in which the athlete is in an overhead

squat position similar to a snatch. The lift must be completed in the same way from both

methods with the athlete bringing their feet back into a parallel position to one another,

standing up fully with arms extended overhead, and the body motionless. The athlete can

then release the bar once the judges have made the signal.

(Hookgrip, 2011-2014)


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Derivatives of the lifts

Variations of the classic Olympic lifts are what are most commonly taught to

athletes and are most commonly incorporated in sport training because they are

broken down into less complicated movements, allowing the amount of time spent of

teaching and learning the lifts to decrease a significant amount. Furthermore, the

variations require less skill and attention to technique by reducing the amount of

weight, reducing the margin of error by shortening the movements and in some cases,

reducing the amount of mobility required.

The first variation of the snatch would be a muscle snatch. In this variation the lift

is performed the same as a classic snatch during the first part of the lift. Once the

upward extension of the body is initiated, this is where the difference in execution

begins. Rather than changing the foot position and pulling the body under the bar, the

upper body continues to do the work by pulling the elbows up then the arms turn over

the press the bar out into an overhead extension. Once the body is in its final position,

the legs and arms are completely locked out. This variation is most used to train bar

path.

Hang and power variations are most used to generate explosiveness and to

practice a quicker turnover or pull into the catch position. Hang variations start with

the athlete holding onto the bar off of the floor. The bar can be held below the knee or

above the knee, depending on the purpose of the exercise. The power variation starts

the same as the classic lifts but need to be caught as high as the athlete can pull. This

requires more generated power since the athlete does not pull himself or herself under

the bar, rather continues to pull the bar as high as they can. The most commonly used


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derivative in sport training is the power clean, or the hanging power clean. Shortening

the distance the bar needs to travel, and having to end the lift in a front rack position

is the easiest for athletes to learn technique wise and transfers over greatly in order to

produce power.

Integrating Olympic Weightlifting Into the LTAD

In the Canadian Sport For Life Model, “Learn to Train” is the third stage of the

Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) plan.

The ideas and concepts behind the LTAD stages

are strongly supported by extensive scientific

research and experience indicates the necessary

progressive steps required for athletes to reach

maximal sport achievement. Learn to Train is a

stage at which is it most important for general

sport skills to be developed (Canadian Sport For

Life, 2011). This stage is for young boys, ages 9-12

years old, and young girls, 8-11 years of age. During this time, it is highly recommended

that premature specialization is avoided; which in most cases lead to one-sided

development that then increase the risk of injury and rate of potential burnout. The only

sports that require such specific skill training at this age are gymnastics, figure skating

and diving (Canadian Sport For Life, 2011). Since specialization of these sports is indeed

necessary at a very young age, athletic careers in such sports conclude earlier than other

sports. With gymnastics as an example, the average age of retirement is 17 years of age

(Canadian Sport For Life, 2011)


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for female gymnasts, and 21 years of age for their male counterparts (Manning, 2012).

Compared to gymnastics, athletes in other traditional sports would be reaching the peak

of their athletic careers at those ages.

Since the skills developed in training the Olympic weightlifting movements have

a high rate of transferability to sport, why is it not incorporated into the third stage of the

LTAD – Learn to Train? The lists performed are a great way to train the kinetic chain,

which Steindler described in 1955 as “the combination or sequence of several

successively arranged joins constituting a motor complex.” Weightlifting appears to be

the perfect element to be included in this stage of athlete development since it promotes

and develops the ability to recruit and initiate bilateral muscular contraction (The Outlaw

Way, 2014). This type of training also increase the rate of force development and neural

recruitment that collectively translates into athleticism and performance; which can then

ultimately be transferred into the next step, Train to Train, which commences to

incorporate sport-specific skill training (Canadian Sport Fro Life, 2011). Olympic

weightlifting derivatives are scientifically proven to show improvements in the following

aspects: muscle synchronization, balance, flexibility, coordination, strength, speed and

power – the ability to produce force (The Outlaw Way, 2011).

Review of Literature

In Canada, Olympic-style weightlifting (OWL) is a less popular way of

training athletes. Most athletes across the nation are not introduced to the style of strength

training until they are in their late teen years, if at all. Reasons for the lack of inclusion of

this style of training may be divided into three broad categories: perceived time required


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to learn the complex movements and techniques, lack of knowledge, both techniques and

understanding of the overall benefits, and lastly, potential injury (Chiu, 2007) (Riwald).

The time required to learn the fundamental movements and to be able to train with

proper technique is dependent on the athletes. It is beneficial for younger athletes to

incorporate Olympic weightlifting as part of their training, as young as 6 years old are

able to engage in strength training (Ashmore, 2003). In many countries, children the age

of 8 years old begin to train technique for Olympic Weightlifting (Chaouachi, 2014), but

do not add considerable resistance until proper coordination is attained. A three-month

Olympic weightlifting program was done with a group of children, having a mean age of

13.2 years, resulted in a 4.9% increase in 9 different strength tests (Chaouachi, 2014). As

athletes age, the time to properly learn coordination increases since foundational abilities

may not have been adapted, such as strength, flexibility and basic athletic movement

patterns (Everett, 2012). Inadequate foundational mobility in adult athletes is one of the

most common impediments from learning proper lifting mechanics (Everett, 2012) and as

people age, the suppleness of the ligaments and tendons decrease if proper maintenance

in not practiced. Furthermore, results from a study conducted by Welton and colleagues

showed the skeleton is most responsive to strength training benefits during growth; this

period differs depending on sex of the athlete. The female growth period takes place

before the age of 16, and this period occurs before the age of 18 for men. The LTAD and

Its Application to Youth Weightlifting states, “it (OWL) is now recognized that a well-

structured weightlifting program can elicit positive training adaptations in young athletes

for strength and power.” The Olympic weightlifting movements lay a solid foundation


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for future athletic development (Chiu, 2007) because of the many athletic benefits that

are highly transferable to most conventional sports.

The limited incorporation of Olympic weightlifting to athletic development

programs for children to youth is due to the widespread lack of knowledge of the

beneficial skills that are developed through this type of training. Many foundational sport

performance skills can be significantly improved through the integration of derivatives of

the snatch and the clean and jerk. There have been numerous studies that support not only

the significant positive results from this type of training, but also present significant

athletic improvements compared to traditional resistance training, plyometric training and

powerlifting.

Although, Olympic weightlifting training has greater benefits for pre-puberty

youth since their bodies in peak development stages, numerous studies provide

substantial evidence showing that OWL is extremely beneficial for all athletes, regardless

of age. During these stages, it is physiologically beneficial because of the increased

skeletal and joint development (Ashmore, 2003), along with bone strength and density

(Riewal). Weightlifting strengthens ligaments and tendons in youth, which prepares soft

tissues to produce forces that are required in day-to-day play, making them more pliable

and resistant to external forces. OWL presents a unique physical stimulus and forces fiber

adaptations (conversion of fiber types and hypertrophy fibers) to occur in athletes as a

result of the extreme power productions (Hedrick, 2008). The range of motion required

from the wrist, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles, promote increased mobility and

thus stronger, healthier joints. These benefits translate into reduced risk of major and

minor injuries (Riewal) and increased rate of recovery or regeneration in case of injury to


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the skeletomuscular system (Takano, 2013). Furthermore, since Olympic style lifts are

single multi-joint movements, requiring major muscle groups along with smaller

stabilizer muscles, training this way is more time efficient compared to resistance training

(Hedrick, 2008).

Training with variations of the Olympic lifts, also result in improved balance,

which has been measured through static balance testing using the Stork test (Chaoachi,

2014). Improvements in balance are significantly higher with OWL than results found

from traditional resistance training. Athletes adapt to have higher coordinated control,

stability and strong balance capabilities in order to efficiently move resistance with a high

rate of force developed through an extended range of motion (Chaoachi, 2014). Increased

balance and neural efficiency is a result of OWL being an inter- and intra-sequential

muscle coordination. These multi-joint and multiple muscle group movements are highly

beneficial in neuromuscular terms (Hedrick, 2008). Between the ages 9-11, it is important

for children to learn fundamental motor skills. In addition, these lifts increase

coordination; enabling athletes to simultaneously strengthen their upper and lower bodies

– which aids in a more balanced approach to athlete physical development. Similarly,

since these movements require both upper limbs and both lower limbs, if athletes are

exposed to OWL in stage 1 of the LTAD specific to OWL (Fundamental Weightlifting

Skills); for male athletes (6-9 years old) and female athletes (6-8 years old) (Lloyd,

2012), athletes are able to develop bilateral symmetry in strength and coordination.

Unlike most traditional sports, (i.e. soccer, basketball, football, badminton, volleyball,

etc.) athletes use their dominant upper limb and/or lower limb which creates a physical

imbalance. OWL requires precise and consistent control of body positions and


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movements, developing kinesthetic awareness, which is the base to fundamental athletic

motor skills (Everett, 2012).

As children get older, these imbalances, if not corrected, become more prominent,

leading to a decrease in kinesthetic awareness of the secondary limbs. Motor skills are

underdeveloped and may lead to decreased overall athleticism, not facilitating the athletic

skills transferable to multiple sports. An example may be a soccer player who will

develop strength in their lower body; meanwhile their upper body is neglected. This same

athlete decides to take more interest in basketball, which requires more upper body

strength and coordination. The skills learned and developed through soccer are not highly

transferable to basketball.

The biomechanical movements required to perform variations of OWL transfer to

a wide range of conventional sports because of the explosiveness promoted.

Improvements of ankle, knee and hip extension power mimic multiple movements, like

the motor fitness skills used for full lower limb extension required in sprints and vertical

jumps. This type of training is a superior way of training high load speed strength as a

result of the rapid acceleration required without an intentional deceleration (Hedrick,

2008). A key benefit mentioned in Olympic Weightlifting for Sport by Takano, is the

ability to effectively absorb force and decelerate in a remarkably safe way. An example

of where this benefit is applicable would be in sports like hockey, where agility is

required. The full body explosive strength trained significantly enhances the initial rate at

which a force is developed. This translates into more explosive sprinting, throwing,

jumping, hitting and quickly changing direction (Chiu, 2007) (Hedrick, 2008). In 2007,

Chiu states, “If an athlete wishes to compete explosively, they must train explosively.”


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Considering all the sports that require any type of explosive movement previously

mentioned, the benefit of sport specific transferability alone may be the biggest reason as

to why many countries have and should consider incorporating a reasonable amount of

OWL derivatives incorporated in their strength and conditioning programming.

Another term used for explosiveness is power and power output. This has a

considerable amount of supportive data showing OWL having the highest generated

power output compared to other methods of training. In 2014, Chaoachi found that the

difference in power outputs between Olympic weightlifting movements (snatch and clean

and jerk) powerlifting movements (back squat and deadlift) were significant.

Movement Power Output (Watts)

Snatch, clean and jerk 3,000-5,400W

Back squat, deadlift 1,100W

Chaoachi also conducted studies comparing plyometric training to OWL. Resulting in

OWL being 80% more effective in generation of acceleration tested by a stationary 5m

sprint, as well in maximal speed, tested by a flying 20m sprint. Many more scholarly

papers that have the same research purpose back his findings.

The last concern needing to be addressed is injuries. Combined with the lack of

understanding among both coaches and parents, potential injuries are the primary concern

for pre-pubertal or young post-pubertal athletes. Two sub categories under injury

concerns are harm to growth plates and muscle overuse. The first issue is commonly

brought forth but is considered to be an “urban legend”; there has been no studies

conducted with any evidence to support the theory of resistance training being

detrimental to the growth of children. Stunted growth is a result of an injury that damages


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the epiphyseal growth plate; the cartilage located near the end of the “mature bone” being

the weakest part. Although, this is a major concern pertaining to participation in

weightlifting, there are no growth plate fractures have been documented in athletes who

engage in strength training (Riewald). Secondly, the rates of injuries in the sport of

weightlifting are found to be much lower than most traditional sports (basketball,

football, gymnastics (Chiu, 2007)) that have higher participation rates. Although injuries

in the sport of weightlifting are relevantly uncommon, frequently when injuries do occur,

it is a result from either little to no supervision by unqualified coaches, poor equipment

and the practice of improper technique (Hedrick, 2008). One study shows that

weightlifting has lower injury rates than sports such as, football, basketball, gymnastics,

squash and U.S. tennis (Hedrick, 2008) In 1994, a study executed by Hamil compared

injury rates among a few other sports in comparison to weightlifting.

Sport Injuries per 100 participation hours

School age soccer 6.2

Basketball 1.03

Track and field 0.57

Badminton 0.05

Powerlifting 0.0027

Weightlifting 0.0017

The table shows a significant drop between occurring injuries in a sport with drastically

higher participation globally like soccer versus weightlifting. Under an age appropriate

program, the possibility of a muscle overuse injury to occur is virtually impossible. In the

LTAD plan and its application to Youth Weightlifting, dangers that may lead to injury


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are inappropriate training techniques and excessive loading. In 2009, Faigenbaum found

that another common reason for weightlifting injuries is the lack of qualified adult

supervision.

Practicing OWL under the supervision of a qualified coach, who is

knowledgeable on the correct technical progressions and knowing when and how to start

implementing different aspects related to volume, intensity, etc. for youth, leads to

exceptional athletic results (Lloyd, 2012) (Takano, 2013). Documented benefits have

been shown in athletes as young as 6 years of age (Ashmore, 2003). Athletes as young as

8 years of age, in countries throughout Europe and Asia commence training with

complete and specific Olympic weightlifting programs, and become elite competitive

weightlifters after physiological maturation (Chaoachi, 2014). When it comes to

weightlifting, many coaches and parents focus on the risk of injury; however, in the

LTAD and Its Application to Youth Weightlifting, the authors state that we should “focus

on the risk of “not exposing” young athletes to the training mode to better prepare them

competitive sporting situations.” As the risk of injury is still present, the benefits of

weightlifting far outweigh the minimal risks when performed appropriately.

Although studies give an age range for when children may begin participating in

weightlifting training, it is important that coaches are able to assess and determine mental

maturity ensuring their ability to participate in a mentally (Hedrick, 2008). Mental

maturity influences the ability of an athlete to truly reap the benefits associated with

OWL, as well as ensuring safety through following appropriate protocols and paying

attention to detail when learning technique. Once athletes understand the magnitude of

the mental component of weightlifting, they will benefit from an increased mental


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fortitude and discipline (Hedrick, 2008). These aspects are not as highly developed or

taught through the participation of conventional sports.

There are a few more positive outcomes for children who participate in

weightlifting. Weightlifting promotes lean body mass (Hedrick, 2008), leading to

improved maintenance of a healthy bodyweight (Ashmore, 2003). In conjunction with a

healthier body composition, children develop higher self-esteem and feel more confident

(Ashmore, 2003) (Riewald). Without the focus of athletic benefits, this may be beneficial

in promoting health and weight management in younger generations. The Canadian

Obesity Network issued a report stating that 10% of Canadian children are clinically

obese. Since weightlifting is one of the most effective and time efficient forms of activity,

for various physiological reasons, this may be a more viable option in reducing obesity

rates. Well-designed weightlifting programs for youth is a fun way to stay active (Lloyd,

2012) (Riewald), since there are multiple components to practice and focus on.

With substantial amounts of research produced over the past couple decades addressing

the main concerns and providing solid evidence of the athletic benefits, it is interesting as

to why Canada has not taken action into incorporating more youth programs that teach

basic weightlifting skills. The lack of knowledge from basic level to elite level coaches

and parents of youth athletes may be the main reason as to why more programs do not

exist. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the disparity between Canadian

athletic performances when compared to athletic performance from other countries could

be correlated with the lack of true fundamental motor skill development during peak

adaptive stages.


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Purpose of the Study

Researchers internationally who have studied the various areas of the sport of

weightlifting, movement derivatives, appropriate ages at which training is safe, etc. all

have concluded similar results. Studies support the benefits of training and how they are

able to transfer into all sports by increasing overall athleticism – creating versatile

superior athletes.

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the nature of the Canadian sport

system, researching the stages and/or ages at which strength and conditioning training,

specifically whether or not Olympic weightlifting movements are introduced during the

career of an athlete. The goal is to determine whether this may be a contributing factor to

the level of competition the athlete is able to attain, and how this may be affecting

athletes who are successful at competing in an international level in their respective

sports.

Based on the review of previous research, which implies that the incorporation of

Olympic weightlifting derivatives could play a vital role in the success during the careers

of athletes in various sports, the following questions were explored:

RQ1: Was Olympic-style weightlifting incorporated into the strength and

conditioning programming?

RQ1a: If yes, at what age and at what athletic level were these lifts introduced?

The significance of this study is to understand whether or not athletes with a goal

to achieve a higher level of competition, are receiving the best training possible in order


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to help that athletic path. Also, to determine when these methods of training are being

applied in order to examine whether it is the most appropriate and optimal stage of their

athletic careers – setting them up for success.

Methodology

For the criteria of inclusion for this survey, there were only requirements:

participant must be over the age of 18 and the participant must have been in a competitive

level in their respective sports. Participants from any sport background, gender, and

location in Canada were able to participate at their will. After the criteria had been

fulfilled, sampling was random.

The data had been collected with the use of Survey Monkey and was posted to my

personal Facebook page, along with several University Athletics sites, just asking that

any current or previous “serious” athletes fill it out of their own will. (Serious athletes

defined as any athlete who participated in sports competitively). 51 athletes completed

the survey.

The questions the athletes were asked to answer were:

1. What sport they had participated in?

Athletes were able to check a box with the appropriate sport or enter multiple

sports into a box.

2. In strength and conditioning training, was Olympic style lifts (snatch/clean/jerk

variations) part of the program?

The athletes were able to check one answer of four options: yes; no; no, we did

not do strength and conditioning; I have never heard of that.


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2a. If the athlete answered “yes” to the questions number 2, please indicate where

you received this type of training, for what sport, and the age at which the training

was implemented.

3. Olympic style weightlifting is proven to improve athlete performance by

increasing speed, strength, power and mobility. Knowing this, would you have

opted for this type of training?

The options for this question were: yes, if it was free; yes, even if I had to invest

my own time and money; no.

The two many questions to be analyzed are 2 and 2a. The most important data collected

is from these two questions since it would help better understand how old the athletes are

being introduced to this training for their sports and where.

Participants of the study were informed on the type of research being conducted

was through a survey and was relating to their athletic careers and the training methods

they participated in during that time. Participants knew their rights as to ask further

questions as to how the study results will be used and knew their right to choose to

participate, or to withdraw from the survey at any time.

Confidentiality and anonymity were guaranteed through the survey since names

of the athletes were not asked for at all. None of the individual information is presented;

rather the data is all presented an athletic group.

None of the questions asked were invasive, ensuring all participants felt safe at all

times during the survey. No feedbacks of results were necessary to present to the survey

participants after the survey had been taken, since the study was completely anonymous.


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Results

The results of the study showed that the participants had a wide variety of athletic

backgrounds. The sports represented were basketball, hockey, football, soccer, volleyball,

rugby, track and field, wrestling, baseball, softball, gymnastics and Nordic skiing.

Results from the question of whether or not Olympic style lifts were integrated in

their strength and conditioning, 27 athletes, which would represent 54% of the sample

answered “No”. Another 10% answered, “No, we did not do strength and conditioning

and 2% answered with “I’ve never heard of that.” The remaining 34% of the survey

participants answered “yes” and thus were able to answer 2a., to elaborate on a few key

details, such as the age at which they were introduced to this specific method of training

and where.

Athletes indicated that they had received this training at a variety of athletic

facilities, of which were University of Calgary, University of Alberta, Mount Royal

University, University of Mississippi, and Portland State University. The indicated age of

these athletes that had been introduced to Olympic weightlifting variations were between

the ages of 16-22.

In the final part of the survey, the ending statement indicated that Olympic style

training improves a variety of skills by improving speed, strength, power and mobility.

Followed by the question of if athletes would opt for this type of training. All participants

indicated that they would. 49% of the athletes indicated they would, if this was a included

in their athletic training and was at no additional cost. The remaining 51% of the athletes

said they would even if they were to invest their own time and financial resources.


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The results of this study suggest that the Canadian system and programming is not

encouraging the facilitation of these training methods at the most optimal time in the

careers of young athletes, which then makes the methods of training less effective on

athletic performance.

Discussion

This study revealed how seldom Olympic-style weightlifting is implemented in

the supplemental strength and conditioning programs of athletes who are serious in their

respective sports. For the athletes who had OWL implemented in their dry land

programming it was quite late in their careers, when athletes are reaching the peaks of

their athletic capabilities.

If these training methods were introduced during earlier stages of the careers of

potential athletes, it would be possible that these athletes would have more advanced

athletic capabilities than if they had not been. Athletes could have the potential of being

more versatile in their skills that would then translate into athletic performance, such as:

muscle synchronization, balance, flexibility/mobility, coordination, strength, speed and

power.

For those athletes who had been introduced to this type of training, it was much

later and many limitations for its optimal benefits may have been present at these stages.

By the age of 16-22 years old, athletes may have already developed imbalances in

strength or coordination as a result of their years in sport specific training. Furthermore,

at this age, there is a higher probability that these athletes have already experienced a

sport related injury, which may affect them physically or mentally when during their dry


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land training. For example, if an athlete has injured their shoulder joint during a wrestling

match, the injury itself could of resulted in a restriction of mobility that does not allow

the athlete to perform overhead weighted movements. In addition, the athlete may

subconsciously be protecting it because of the fear of re-injury.

If these athletes were introduced at an earlier age, this may have improved their

athletic abilities that would later be transferable to the sport of their choice. The thought

process in younger athletes is less complex, making these movements easier to learn.

Furthermore, at a younger age of 8-12 years old, athletes have not developed significant

strength or coordination imbalances that would impede their ability to learn these

movements effectively.

Another aspect to consider from the results of this study would be the lack of

knowledge amongst athletes. Although, there are limited facilities for adequate

instruction and training of these lifts to be incorporated into a young athletes

supplementary regimen, if they were aware of the benefits, there are a strong percentage

of athletes who would seek out this type of training to further develop their athletic

potential. The availability of information of this type of training is important for parents

and athletes to be able to make well-educated decisions on what measures they are

willing to invest in, in order to maximize the potential athletic performance of the athlete.

Limitations

This study was merely an introduction to why further research should be

conducted in this area, and how it may benefit the Canadian programming system as a

whole. There were many limitations that impact the results of this study and how this


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study should be interpreted. Since, the research sample was quite minuscule in proportion

to how many athletes there are nationwide, the sample size is not a reliable representation

of many possible combinations. The sports represented and the amount of athletes

representing each sport does not proportionately represent a ratio of how many athletes

are truly participating from one sport to another. Not all sports are represented in the

sample size, and the sports represented were random due to the nature of the survey.

Another limitation to be considered is that the location of the athletes who responded is

also random, which also does not give a proportionate representation of how athletes are

dispersed throughout the nation.

In the survey, there were only two questions that were truly examined, of which

were: Was Olympic-style weightlifting incorporated into the strength and conditioning

programming? And if yes, at what age and at what athletic level were these lifts

introduced? Since only two questions were closely examined, the depth of the results of

this study is quite shallow. These first two questions only open doors to the idea and how

this information can be used to enhance future generation athletes by altering the program

in which they are guided through until athletic maturation.

Another limitation to consider would be that lack of knowledge amongst athletes

and coaches in different circumstances. This study would be the first circumstance to

examine since there are athletes who do not completely understand what the Olympic

lifts consist of – making the information collected during the survey less than a hundred

per cent reliable. Another lack of knowledge would be from the coaches, since most

coaches do not understand the physical benefits in this specific type of training and how

it can directly affect the performance of an athlete in their respective sport. This presents


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another possible area of study, as to whether or not this matter should be taken as the

responsibility of the coach or the responsibility of the athlete.

Furthermore, building upon the aspect of the lack of knowledge within the

sporting community (which consists of coaches and the athletes), the fact that

weightlifting as a sport is relatively new to North America plays quite a significant role to

the low implementation and application of these training methods. Unlike the Eastern

continents that have been practicing these training methods for over two centuries, North

America had only started to apply themselves to the sport and the sport-training

derivative in the past two decades. Therefore, the sport along with the accompanied

benefits has not yet had the time to truly be experienced by the North American

population.

One of the most important aspects to consider in conjunction to this study is how

sport development is approached as a system. Training methods are not the only limiting

factor in athletic development in the system. Also to be considered is athletic funding

overall which then affects multiple different crucial aspects. The lack of athletic funding

affects how knowledgeable coaches and athletic support staff are and the venues or

equipment that this type of training would require.

Application of the Results

These studies found that not many of the athletes received optimal training to help

improve their athletic performance in their respective sports. With these results, and the

knowledge already established on how beneficial this type of training is and how widely

transferable the athletic skills developed are, it would be highly encouraged that athletes,


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parents, or coaches with knowledge and/or education on this topic, explore the

possibilities and seek to apply these methods in their programming.

Future Research

Recommendations for future research would be to minimize identified limitations.

Seeking to provide a more reliable and representative sample size of athletes across

Canada. A more in-depth survey would also reduce limitations of future studies. Another

precaution that can be taken to reduce the limit of knowledge amongst the athletes

participating in the survey would be to educate them on what the lifts consist of, look

like, etc., before the survey is taken in order for them to not confuse other methods of

training with specific Olympic-style weightlifting training.

Conclusion

The purpose of this study was to start research into the sports system to address

the question of whether we are setting our athletes up in the most effective way that is

scientifically proven to help with their athletic careers. The study surveyed current and

past athletes about their training for their respective sports and explored whether or not

they were introduced to Olympic style training and if it had been implemented during the

most optimal age in their athletic paths. The results of the study concluded that not many

athletes had this training method implemented, and in cases when it was implemented, it

was later during their years as a varsity athlete. This study was limited to reach of

athletes, therefore only attaining a sample size of 50 athletes. Recommendations for

future studies would be to collect data from a more reliable and representative sample


24

size of the athletic population across Canada. Furthermore, studies should be conducted

to examine how the benefits of this type of training may alter once presented later in the

career of an athlete rather than before sport specialization has occurred.


25

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